Significant boost: Long awaited Mullingar to Longford N4 upgrade allocated €2.4m
Longford Senator Joe Flaherty: 'This is probably the clearest commitment to date as to the eventual delivery of this project'
A €2.4m allocation from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) towards the delivery of the N4 upgrade has been welcomed by Longford Senator Joe Flaherty.
He said: “Today’s €2.4m funding allocation will significantly advance delivery of the N4 upgrade from Mullingar to Rooskey. The project was stalled in 2008 as result of economic crash and on two occasions in the lifetime of the last government but this is probably the clearest commitment to date as to the eventual delivery of this project.”
He explained, “We’re now reaching the halfway stage in the delivery of this project and it is not unreasonable to think that actual construction could commence in the near future.”
A detailed preferred option for the route was published last year and following a consultation period, the design team moved to phase three of the planning and design process.
Senator Flaherty outlined, “There is a six phase process in the construction of any major road infrastructure so we can potentially say that we are now at the halfway point in the eventual delivery of this road.”
The design team, based in Mullingar, have been undertaking engineering and environmental studies and on foot of today’s funding, will now move forward to an initial design.
Senator Flaherty added, “They are then in a position to commence discussions with landowners and home owners impacted by the preferred route before finalising the actual design.”
He concluded: “On completion of this section of process, the project moves to phases 4 & 5 which covers statutory processes and land acquisition before phase six which is the actual construction.”